Know 988, Share 988

Becky Stoll 
EVP of Crisis Services, Centerstone 

Four years after the launch of the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, millions of people have reached out for help. But there is still a simple question we should all be asking: Do the people in our lives know they can call, text or chat 988 when they or someone they care about is struggling?  

Because a crisis does not always announce itself. And people don’t always know where to turn when they are experiencing intense emotional pain, struggling with substance use, or worried about someone they love. Sometimes, the first step toward getting help is simply knowing that a trained person is available to listen.  

Since 988 launched following bipartisan support from Congress, more than 200 centers across the United States have answered more than 20 million contacts. Text contacts have increased 260%, while calls have increased 87%. A 2026 research letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association also found an association between the launch of 988 in July 2022 and a decline in suicide deaths among individuals ages 15-34.  

Those numbers tell us something important: people are using 988. But we need even more people to know it is there. 988 is not only for someone who is thinking about suicide. It is also a resource for people experiencing emotional distress, mental health concerns, substance use challenges or other moments of crisis. It is available when someone doesn’t know what to do next or where to turn for help.  

You also don’t have to be experiencing a crisis to call. If you’re worried about a family member, friend, neighbor, child or coworker, you can contact 988 to ask questions, talk through your concerns and get guidance about what to do next. Reaching out for support can be an important first step when you’re trying to help someone you care about.  

That is why awareness matters so much. You don’t have to be a mental health professional to spread the word about 988. Put the number in your phone. Tell your family about it. Talk about it with your children. Share it with a friend. Make sure an older family member knows it is available. Tell someone caring for a loved one struggling with substance use that they can call, too.  

When someone does reach out, trained crisis specialists are there to listen and help determine what the person needs. We know a crisis does not look the same for everyone, and the appropriate response may look different for every individual. Depending on the situation, a crisis specialist may help someone identify immediate supports, connect with community resources or access additional crisis services.  

And the help does not necessarily end when the conversation with 988 ends. Follow-up can be an important part of helping people access the resources and care they need after a crisis and feel supported as they move forward.  

At Centerstone, I see the importance of this work firsthand. Centerstone operates 988 services in Tennessee, Illinois and Missouri and serves as a national backup center for 988 chat and text. Our crisis specialists are among the many professionals across the country who answer when someone reaches out during a moment of uncertainty, emotional pain or crisis.  

They hear from people who sometimes don’t know where else to turn. Their job is to listen without judgment, understand what is happening and help the person identify a path forward.  

Since the launch of 988, communities across the country have also continued building and strengthening comprehensive crisis care systems. That includes 988 centers, mobile crisis response teams, crisis walk-in centers and crisis stabilization services. Together, these services provide more opportunities for people to receive the right level of support when and where they need it.  

But those services can only help if people know they exist. So, let’s keep spreading the word.  

Four years into the 988 era, we have reason to celebrate the progress we’ve made. But awareness is an ongoing responsibility. Every person who learns about 988 is another person who knows where to turn. Every conversation about 988 helps make it a little easier for someone to ask for help.  

Sometimes, the most important thing we can do for someone in crisis is simply make sure they know they are not alone, and that help is available.  

Becky Stoll is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and serves as Executive Vice President of Crisis Services at Centerstone, the nation’s largest nonprofit provider of mental health services. She presents on suicide prevention and crisis care services nationally and abroad. Stoll serves on the Executive Committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, Emeritus Member of the Advisory Council for the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network and Tennessee Department of Health Suicide Prevention Program.  

About Centerstone: Centerstone is the largest nonprofit behavioral health organization in the United States. With more than 10,000 team members working at 360 locations in communities across the country, Centerstone provides healing and hope to people of all ages through mental health services, addiction care and social supports. Centerstone is a leader in operations for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Centerstone’s Foundation secures philanthropic resources to support the work and mission of delivering care that changes lives. Learn more at Centerstone.org.